Hardness tester



Feb. 17, 1953 K. M. DAY

HARDNEss TESTER 3 Sheets-Sheet l si@ Filed July 17, 1951 #fm2/vini Feb. 17, 1953 K M DAY 2,628,495

HARDNESS TESTER Filed Jul 17, 1951 :s sheets-sheet 2 ZNVENTOR.

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K. M. DAY' HARDNESS TESTER Feb. 17, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 17 1951 "8; TV /lr INVENTOR. KIN/'vir M. r

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Patented Feb. 17, 1953 UNITED srarss HARDNESS TESTER Kenney M. Day, Nevada City, Calif.

Application July 17, 1951, Serial No. 237,140

(Cl. 'Z3- 83) 6 Claims. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in hardness tester. More particularly, the invention relates to a machine for testing the hardness of the surfaces of metal and the like which diifers from conventional testers in that the load which accomplishes penetration of the surface being tested is applied pneumatically by means hereinafter described in detail.

Conventional methods of testing hardness of the surface of a metal member involve the application to the surface of a penetrator of known and standard hardness greater than that of the surface being tested` A minor load is iirst applied which causes the penetrator to advance through the surface a minute distance. Next, a major load is applied, and the hardness of the surface is tested by observing the amount of penetration upon application of the known major load.

Conventional testers are subject to certain inaccuracies which are avoided in the practice of the instant invention. Thus, hardness testers heretofore employed are subject to frictional losses, wear of moving parts, and variations in readings due to temperature changes which affect the viscosity of lubricants and also the oil in the dash-pot commonly employed in applying the major load. f

The instant machineis vnot subject to the inaccuracies which have been heretofore mentioned. Further, because the load is applied pneumatically, the machine is devoid of shock in that `the lair itself provides a cushion against shock. Loss of accuracy does not result from changes in temperature within normal ranges of room temperatures.

The measurement of penetration is accomplished hydraulically in that the penetrator is connected to a flange fixed to a bellows. The space surrounding the bellows is filled with liquid and. connected to a manometer. .Very slight distances of movement of the penetrator are thus magnied and readily and rapidly observed on the manometer.

The cost of construction of the instant machine is much less than that of machines heretofore produced, because of the simplification of the design of the device and reduction in number and expense of parts. The instant machine is relatively free from wear, and hence maintenance is minimized.

A modification of the instant invention relates to comparative linear measurement in such applications as the inspection of parts by gauging linear distances within tolerances. In this modication, the object to be tested is contacted by a foot attached to a flange, which flange closesA oif one end of a bellows. The interior of the bellows is connected to one leg of a manometer. The length of the object being measured determines the amount of expansion and contraction of the bellows, and hence the height of the liquid column in the manometer. Observation of the liquid column makes possible rapid and convenient measuring of minute distances.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the. following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing the manometer connections.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a modification of the invention.

The instant machine is incorporated in a frame l0 of C-shape, having a throat Il sufficient to accommodate articles commonly subject to test. The frame is supported on three level adjusting screws l2 which are threaded into the base of the frame in a tripod arrangement, said screws being provided with lock nuts I3 to hold the screws in position after a level adjustment has been perfected.

In vertical alignment at the outer ends of the arms of the frame IB are vertically disposed lower spindle I4 and vertically disposed upper spindle I6, the former carrying a removable anvil l1 fitted into its upper end, and the latter carrying a removable penetrator I8 held in place by set screw I9. The work-piece being tested is placed between anvil I1 and penetrator i8 for application of the testing loads. It will be understood that various shapes of anvils Il may be employed to accommodate the shape of the work-piece and that penetrators I8 of varying shapes and hardness may be fitted into upper spindle i6.

Lower spindle I4 is made vertically adjustable so as to accommodate a wide variety of workpieces. Accordingly, the lower end 2| of spindle Ill is keyed by means of key 22 to bushing 23, and said bushing is held against rotation within bore 24 in boss 26 formed in the front part of frame l0 by means of a plurality of set screws 21. The bottom of bushing 23 is threaded and is held against upward movement by nut 23 which bears against the bottom of boss 25, and the upper end of bushing 23 has a ange 29 which bears against the top of boss 25. Thus, it will be seen that spindle I4 may slide vertically with respect to bushing 23 and frame I0 but cannot rotate with respect thereto.

In the top surface of ange 2S is formed an annular V-shaped groove 3 I in which is deposited a .plurality of small balls 32, the flange 29 thus acting as a ball bearing race. The opposite race is provided by annular carrier 33 which encompasses spindle I4 and has a hardened undersurface and a down-turned rim 34 which captures the balls and prevents dislodgement.

Carrier 33 is one part of an adjustment means 36 for lower spindle I4. It will be observed that the upper two-thirds of said spindle I4 is threaded with a buttress -thread of ve threads H to the inch, and the 4threaded portion is engaged by capstan nut 31, provided With a plurality of radially disposed capstan arms 38. Interposed between nut 31 and carrier 33 is worm wheel 39,

the three parts, namely carrier 33, worm wheel 39, and nut 31 being xed so that they move together. Worm wheel 39 is engaged y.by worm 4I, horizontally mounted, said worm 4I having four threads and having 4'a thread angle of about 18 27', s0 that worm 4I and Worm wheel 39 are n non-locking. Housing 42 for Worm 4I is secured to frame I by screw 43. Knob 44 is Iprovided for manual adjustment of worm 4 I.

Dust cover 46 is provided about the periphery of adjustment means 36, and a second dust cover 41, telescopic in form, is provided about the upper end of spindle I4. y

Rough vertical adjustment of spindle i4 is made by turning capstan nut 31 manually, in that spindle I4, being prevented from turning, is raised or elevated as said nut 31 is turned. Fine adjustment of spindle I4 is accomplished by turning knob 44 by reason of the small pitch of worm 4I. Thus, the elevation of anvil I1 may be accurately controlled.

Upper spindle I6 is held in carrier 5I in such manner that it is vertically slid'able but is held in vertical position. Thus, a plurality of balls 52 is provided at the upper and lower end of bushing 53, said balls 52 bearing against spindle r I6 and against vertical bore 54 in carrier 5I. Carrier I is fixed by means of screws 56 into hermetic chamber housing 51, which is in the form of a round box Welded to frame I0.

Horizontal carrier flange 58 is positioned within housing 51, said flange being offset upwardly at its central portion 59 to provide clearance for carrier 5I, there being a small metallic bellows 6I soldered at one end to carrier 5I and at the opposite end to offset 59 so that the distance between carrier and flange may vary but no air may escape from chamber 62 through the mounting for spindle I 6.

The upper end 62a of upper spindle I6 is securely mounted in offset 59, there being an air seal to prevent passage of air through the hole receiving said end 62a. The top of upper spindle I 6 is fastened to U-shaped stop member 63 which is arranged to bear against cover 54 so as to limit movement of spindle I5 to about 0.125 in. The lower limit of movement of spindle I6 is provided by ange 58 contacting carrier 5 I.

It will be observed, particularly with reference to Fig. 3, that large bellows 65 and carrier flange 58 divide the interior of housing 51 into two' parts, an outer chamber 62 and an inner chamber 66, each hermetically sealed. Said :bellows 65 is soldered at the bottom to carrier flange 58 and at the top to cover 64 so that flange 58 may rise and lower within housing 51. Within chamber 56 and bearing upon ange 58 and offset 59 is a lead weight 61 which yprovides the minor load upon the Work-piece being tested. The major -lcad is applied by .pneumatic pressure -within chamber 66, said pneumatic pressure being provided by a hand bulb 68 connected by tubes 69 and 1I, horizontal connection 12 and fitting 13 which extends through cover 64 into chamber SS. An escape cock 14 is provided to exhaust said chamber 66. It will be apparent that by manipulation of bulb 68 the pressure within chamber 66 may be controlled and thereby the force exerted on penetrator I8 controlled.

The entire funit, comprising the interior of housing 51, may be removed by removing screws 56 and screws 10 holding cover 64 on housing 51.

The major load applied is measured by U-shaped manometer 16 filled with mercury. One leg of said manometer 16 is vertical tube 1I, which connects .through horizontal connection 12 and tting 13 into chamber 66. The opposite leg of said manometer is vertical glass capillary tube 11 mounted on a vertical plate 18 on the back of the machine. Three indicators 19 are attached to said plate 18, rtheir vertical position 4being adjustable by reason of slots 8| through which pass screws 82 threaded into plate 18. The lowermost indicator 19 is marked I5, the middle 30, and the upper 45, said indicators referring to major load expressed in kilograms.

Chamber 62 is filled with colored liquid and into said chamber 62 is connected horizontal pipe 86, which, in turn, is connected into vertical leg 81 of U-shaped manometer 88, there being preferably a cock 89 at the connection between horizontal pipe 86 and leg 81 through which the system may be kept lled with colored liquid. The opposite leg 9| of manometer 88 is provided with a vertical capillary tube 92, the upper end of which has an enlarged bulb 93. On plate 18, alongside tube 92 is a scale 94 graduated from 0 to 100, reading from top to bottom, Vthe height of liquid in said -tube 92 indicating degrees of hardness of the piece being tested. One point of hardness on scale 94 equals 0.001 mm. penetration.

Operation After the machine has been set up and adjusted so that it is level, the Work-piece to be ytested is placed on anvil I1. Cock 14 is opened, exhausting chamber 66 to atmosphere. Capstan nut 31 is turned until the Work-piece is in contact with penetrator I8, it being understood that anvil I1 and penetrator I8 have been selected by reason of the shape and estimated hardness of the Work-piece, respectively. Capstan nut 31 is turned further and fine adjustment is also made by twisting knob 44 which turns worm 4I and thereby the minor load is applied. It will be seen that as, during this phase of the operation, penetrator I8 is raised, chamber 62 increases in volume, and as chamber 62 is increased, the height of colored liquid in capillary tube 92 is decreased; this operation being continued until the liquid drops to the bottom or on scale 94.

The minor load having been applied, thereupon the major load is applied. This is accomplished by lrst closing cock 14 and then pumpsausage ing air into chamber 66 by bulb 68 until the mercury in capillary 'Il is elevated to one 4-of the indicators 18. rIhe particularscale selected is a matter of judgment, depending upon the hardness of material being tested. When the mercury reaches one of said indicators 19, it will be apparent that the lpressure in chamber 6B has forced penetrator I8 into the workpiece with a predetermined force, the distance of penetration being a function of the hardness of the material being tested.

After the major load has been applied, cock I4 is opened and chamber 6G is exhausted. 'I'he elevation of penetrator I8 will be less than it was at commencement of the test, and the difference in elevation or amount of penetration will be observed by the reading upon scale |54' which is a direct function of the elevation of spindle I6. The harder the material, the less penetration, and hence, the higher the numerical reading of scale 94. After the reading has been made, anvil I? is lowered and ythe workpiece removed.

It will be understood that where the machine is in constant use, as in large-scale testing operations, bulb 68 may be eliminated and a regulating valve connecting to a source of compressed air substituted. Further, cock 'I4 may be replaced by a trip valve.

A modication of the invention is illustrated I schematically in Fig. 5, said modication being particularly adaptable to comparative measurement, as in inspection wherein vtolerances oi a plurality of parts are to be checked. An anvil IDI is provided on the upper end of spindle |92. I

Said Spindle is slidable vertically within sleeve |03 mounted in base |04. Spindle |02 bears rack IBS which is engaged by pinion IM mounted in said base |84. By twisting said pinion |01, by means of a knob (not shown), spindle |32 and anvil IGI may be raised or lowered. Lock |98 is provided to lock anvil SBI in position.

The work-piece being tested is mounted on anvil IDI, which is adjusted and locked so that the upper end of said work-piece contacts the lower end of foot IH. Foot IH extends inside box H2, which is rigidly mounted with respect to base |04, there being a sleeve H3 and ball bearings H4 employed as a mounting of foot H| so that foot I Il may be freely propelled and repelled within box H2, and ange H6 closes off the lower end of bellows H1, the upper end of which is sealed to top H8. rIlhe interior of bellows H'I is filled with a colored liquid and communicates through fitting H9 with one leg I2| of U-shaped manometer |22. The other leg |23 of said manometer is a capillary tube terminating in bulb |24. Alongside said tube is iixed scale |26.

In use, anvil IBI is set at a distance below foot H`| slightly less than the length of the workpiece being tested. A standard block of exact length is first placed on said anvil Il, foot III being elevated thereby, and elevation of said foot ||I contracting bellows II'I and raising the co1- ored liquid to a given reading on scale |23. Tolerances are then established on either side of the given reading. The work-pieces to be tested are placed on anvil lill, and the positioning of each work-piece, in turn, causing a certain elevation of foot HI' and thus raising the liquid in capillary tube I 23 a distance dependent upon the dimension of the 4piece being tested. Inspection is readily and rapidly accomplished by persons even of slight skill in that those objects falling outside the tolerances established on scale |26 may be discarded.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modincations may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

lI claim:

l. In a hardness tester, an anvil, a penetrator positioned above said anvil, a box above the lpenetrator rigidly mounted and pneumatically sealed, means for mounting the penetrator for vertical movement relative to said box, bellows means in the box connected to the penetrator and dividing the box into rst and second chambers, said first chamber being a penetrator actuating chamber and the second chamber being a measuring chamber, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said iirst chamber to expand the same and actuate the penetrator toward the anvil, whereby the volume of said second chamber is varied, and measuring means in cornmunication with the second chamber responsive to a change in volume thereof to give an indication -of the hardness of an object into which the penetrator penetrates.

2. In a hardness tester, an anvil, a penetrator positioned above said anvil, a box above the penetrator rigidly mounted and pneumatically sealed, means for mounting the penetrator for vertical movement relative to said box, bellows means in the box connected to the penetrator and dividing the box into rst and second chambers, said first chamber being a penetrator actuating chamber and the second chamber being a measuring chamber, means for supplying air under pressure to said rst chamber to expand the same to actuate the penetrator, whereby the volume of the second chamber is varied, said second chamber being lled with a liquid and measuring means in communication with the second chamber for measuring the variation in volume thereof to give an indication of the hardness of the object into which the penetrator penetrates.

3. In a hardness tester, an anvil, a penetrator positioned above said anvil, a box above the penetrator rigidly mounted and pneumatically sealed, means for mounting the penetrator for vertical movement relative to said box, bellows means in the box connected to the penetrator and dividing the box into iirst and second chambers, said first chamber being a penetrator actuating chamber and the second chamber being a measuring chamber, means for supplying fluidl under pressure to said first chamber to expand the same and actuate the penetrator toward the anvil, whereby the volume of said second chamber is varied, measuring means in communication with the second chamber responsive to a change in volume thereof to give an indication of the hardness of an object into which the penetrator penetrates, and means for elevating the anvil to bring an object thereon into contact with the penetrator to bring the measuring means, at a time prior to the supply of uid to the first chamber, to a. predetermined reading regardless of the size of the object.

4. In a hardness tester, an anvil, a penetrator positioned above said anvil, a box above the penetrator rigidly mounted and pneumatically sealed, means for mounting the penetrator for vertical movement relative to said box, bellows means in the box connected to the penetrator and dividing the box into first and second chambers, said first chamber being a, penetrator actuating chamber and the second chamber being a measuring chamber, means for supplying uid under pressure to said first chamber to expand the same and actuate the penetrator toward the anvil, whereby the volume of said second chamber is varied, measuring means in communication with the secondchamber responsive to a change in volume thereof to give an indication of the hardness of an object into which the penetrator penetrates, a weight connected to the penetrator, and means for elevating the anvil to bring an object thereon into contact with the penetrator to apply a minor load to the object prior to the supply of fluid under pressure to the rst chamber and to bring the measuring means to a predetermined reading regardless of the size of the object.

5. In a hardness tester, an anvil, means for elevating said anvil to desired position, a box rigidly mounted and pneumatically sealed, a penetrator disposed between the box and 'the anvil and movably extending into the box, a nange vertically movable in said box connected for movement with Said penetrator, a bellows fixed at one end to said ange and at the opposite end to said box and dividing said box into a rst chamber and a second chamber, said irst chamber being arranged to be expanded by fiuid pressure, means for applying fluid pressure within said chamber, means for measuring the fluid pressure in said rst chamber, a manometer in uid communication with said second chamber responsive to said movement of said penetrator and indicating the deiiection of said second chamber, and a second bellows fixed at one end to said ange on the opposite side thereof from the place of attachment of the first-named bellows and at its other end to said box, and sealing off the interior of said box to the atmosphere in the zone vicinal said means for mounting said penetrator.

6. In a hardness tester, an anvil, means for elevating Said anvil to desired position, a box rigidly mounted and pneumatically sealed, a penetrator disposed between the box and the anvil and movably extending into the box, a, 45

ange vertically movable in said box connected for movement with said penetrator, a bellows xed at one end to said flange and at the opposite end to said box and dividing said box into a rst chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber being arranged to be expanded by uid pressure, means for applying fluid pressure within said chamber, means for measuring the uid pressure in said first chamber, a manometer in uid communication with said second chamber responsive to said movement of said penetrator and indicating the deflection of said second chamber, a second bellows fixed at one end to said ange on the opposite side thereof from the place of attachment of the first-named bellows and at its other end Ito said box, and sealing 01T the interior of said box to the atmosphere in the zone vicinal said means for mounting said penetrator, a cover detachably connected to the top of said box and to which the second end of said first-mentioned bellows is connected, and a carrier member detachably connected to the bottom of said box and to which the lower end of said second bellows is connected and in which said means for mounting Said penetrator is mounted, said cover, said rst-mentioned bellows, said ange, said second bellows, said carrier member and said penetrator being installable and removable from said box as a unit.

KENNEY M. DAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,258,426 Mackintosh Mar. 5, 1918 1,320,748 Fisher Nov. 4, 1919 1,752,964 Prange Apr. 1, 1930 2,107,114 Gogan Feb. l, 1938 2,452,753 Hathaway Nov. 2, 1948 2,498,136 Rupley Feb. 21, 1950 2,536,880 James Jan. 2, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 603,531 Germany Oct. 3, 1934 

